Cybex Fitness Blog

Longevity enters overtime

Human bodies are designed with a limited shelf life. Depressing as this sounds, recent news tells us the tide may be changing sending longevity into overtime. With so many extra innings, the situation leaves us to wonder: what do we do with all those extra years?

[Growing Older] It's a Growing Trend

Over the past century life expectancy has increased dramatically and the world will soon have more older people than children. Such a shift is also changing the way in which we view the role, responsibilities and ways in which we treat older adults - a topic worthy of our immediate attention.

For insight, check out the WHO photo gallery [Link: WHO] celebrating World Health Day 2012. These images, representing globally diverse groups from around the world, directly challenges stereotypes frequently faced by older adults.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Number of people aged 80+ will quadruple to 395 million by 2050.

In five years, the number of adults 65+ will outnumber children under 5.

By 2050, these older adults will outnumber all children under the age of 14.

[PRESCRIPTION] DON'T FORGET HELMUT...

Jumping head first from high altitudes is 87-year old Helmut Wirz's passion. The former pharmacist discovered bungee-jumping at the age of 75.

"When I’m standing up there, I feel completely calm“, he says, despite the fact that he is only secured by a rubber - band fixed to his legs. Helmut held the record as the oldest bungee jumper in the world for many years and is not planning to switch to playing chess or bowling any time soon.

Given that longevity has gone into overtime, Helmut's active ageing experience is one in which he lives life to the fullest without regard for the stereotypes surrounding how he is supposed to act.

Just because he is older does not mean that he's about to "act his age". In fact, he's redefining for the rest of us what it means to be older and remain active.

[THE WHO] About World Health Awareness

Active Ageing and good health was the theme of this year's World Health Awareness last month (April 7th). The event's slogan: "Good health adds life to years" highlights an important point for the masses who pine for a long life: how do you keep your 120 year old body finely tuned and healthy to ensure a high quality of life?